Aussie No.1 hits out after not receiving Australian Open wildcard

January 5, 2024

Australian Open, Tennis News, WTA Tennis Players

Aussie No.1 speaks out after not receiving Australian Open wildcard

Arina Rodionova has responded to being snubbed by Tennis Australia, with the nation’s No.1 WTA player not receiving the final wildcard, despite impressing in Brisbane.

Rodionova, who is currently ranked No.113, is currently the top Australian women’s singles player, but has not received a wildcard for her home major.

The 34-year-old impressed on the ITF Tour last year, having won 78 matches and seven titles, increasing her ranking from No.302 to the brink of the top 100.

This form translated to the main WTA Tour this week, with Rodionova beating Martina Trevisan and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin en route to the third round at the Brisbane International.

HOW ABOUT THAT! ?@arinarodionova shines to take out No.14 seed Sofia Kenin in straight sets, 7-5 7-6(7) ??#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/5ZmOKgI95L

— Brisbane International (@BrisbaneTennis) January 2, 2024

Rodionova was asked by press in Brisbane, before the final announcement, about whether she thought she deserved a wildcard, “If it was up to me, I would give it [wildcard] to myself, but there’s other people involved. Hopefully they like the way I’m playing this week.

“I’ve done all the hard work, I put myself in the best position and there’s nothing else I could have done to get myself closer.”

However, it appears that Rodionova did not do enough to impress Tennis Australia, with world No.209 Daria Saville getting the wildcard instead.

And Rodionova has responded to the announcement on social media, “I wish I could say I am surprised. But honestly. The satisfaction of achieving it all absolutely on your own, despite all this stuff … it is worth it. I will see you guys at AO [Australian Open] qualies in couple of days and I am pumped for this.”

I wish I could say I am surprised ?
But honestly. The satisfaction of achieving it all absolutely on your own, despite all this stuff… it is worth it. I will see you guys at AO qualies in couple of days and I am PUMPED for this ? LFG https://t.co/H5zC48KYi6

— Arina Rodionova (@arinarodionova) January 5, 2024

Rodionova will compete as one of the top seeds in Australian Open qualifying that begins on Monday 8th January, as she continues to push towards breaking inside the top 100 for the first time in her career.

Inside the baseline…

You can understand why Arina Rodionova is disappointed by this news, especially after all the hard work she has put in on the lower ITF circuit over the past year. What is more surprising to most is the lack of Australian female players inside the top 100, especially after having Ash Barty as world No.1 for 121 weeks before she abruptly retired in 2022.